After Ever After
by PrismUnicornRainbows
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a man, who wrote stories. Stories of hope, stories of love. But one day, the man became part of a story, one he thought he had finished. Now the story he knew has changed, and it's only just beginning...A Knight must once again take up the sword, and truly end the Story.
1. Chapter 1: Just a Dream

Sooooooooooooo hello guys! Since Princess Tutu is one of my favorite anime of all time (and I've read the manga too) I thought, "Hey, I'm here, might as well as do something about it!"

So here it is.

Happy birthday

* * *

She came to him, in a dream.

 _Fakir...Fakir..._

She called to him, and Fakir in his dream opened his dark eyes. She looked so beautiful, but it was the girl underneath the veil of Princess Tutu that he cared for. Princess Tutu came waltzing into Fakir's dream, in her familiar white tutu, gold crown, rose colored ballet shoes, but she did not wear the wings of the emotion _Free Will_ ; The last heart shard of the Prince who gave up his heart to seal in the Raven.

 _Hello, Fakir..._

"Princess Tutu. Why are you here?" Despite his outer attitude towards others, Fakir felt particular guilt, especially when it came to Princess Tutu...or Duck.

 _Ah yes, from the Prince and the Raven. I came because I want to thank you, Fakir..._ Her voice was calming and soft, like a mother's lullaby to a babe. To Fakir, it almost sounded like how Duck would speak when somber, instead of her cheery over-the-top chatter. He was once again reminded of how the two identities were so alike, yet so different.

"For what?"

 _For all that you have done, for the Prince, for the Princess, for your future descendants, and for freeing the town from the Raven...But I am here for another purpose...I'm afraid that there is more to be done..._

"What? But I destroyed the machine that kept writing! I helped the story have a happy ending, with Mytho with his heart restored and Rue as his princess-"

 _Ahhh, but not all lived "happily ever after' did they, Fakir?_

"Who-" And he realized finally, "Duck."

 _Yes. I, Princess Tutu, only played a small part in 'The Prince and the Raven' but it was unfinished when Drosselmeyer died. However, Duck is not me; She was used as my vessel._

"A...Vessel? But it's-"

 _Utter nonsense? I figured you might say as much. I shall speak to you again, but now you must reprise your role as the Knight, and come to your Princess..._

He woke up with a start, sweating and breathing heavily. Fakir, in panic, looked towards the end of his bed...Duck was sleeping peacefully in a little nest of blankets. Seemingly unfazed by dreams of Princess Tutu like he was.

 _But it was only a dream,_ Fakir reminded himself as he settled into the bed for sleep to claim him until the morning... _Only a dream..._

* * *

I think I should give a little background on this. First of all, this combines elements of both the Anime, and the Manga (mainly the anime). Secondly:

There's a theory that *SPOILER ALERT* since in the manga, Duck was actually a human girl, which Rue, as Kraehe, turned Duck into a duck, but then she got turned back again. So this is were it get's tricky. Since the anime only opens up whenever Duck is in the lake, which is were Duck went after she turned-if memory serves me well-the theory is that either Drosselmeyer (If I spelled his name wrong, sorry) or Rue (unknowingly) turned Duck into a duck, and she cannot remember her life as a girl.

I'm siding more with Drosselmeyer doing this, so that he can get the tragic ending he wants, and he does this by the events that happen within the anime; he "gives" her this ability to transform temporarily, whilst having sealed in her true form (a girl). Since he moves on to another town (I think) and because Fakir is his descendant, he is technically still alive. As such, the magic might have the ability to be used once again to free Duck. This can also be true, because in the tale "The Prince and the Raven" the Princess (in this case Rue) didn't make an appearance. It is only Princess Tutu, the Prince, the Knight and the Raven that are mentioned.

In short, the story isn't over yet.


	2. Chapter 2: Could it be True?

As much as he worked to try and keep his mind off it, Fakir could not keep the thoughts of what happened between him and Princess Tutu last night...

 _Yes. I, Princess Tutu, only played a small part in 'The Prince and the Raven' but it was unfinished when Drosselmeyer died. However, Duck is not me; She was used as my vessel._

 _"A...Vessel? But it's-"_

 _Utter nonsense? I figured you might say as much. I shall speak to you again, but now you must reprise your role as the Knight, and come to your Princess..._

 _"_ But who is my Princess? It certainly can't be Duck..." Fakir muttered as he sat at his desk, secretly wishing it could be... "How can there be _more_ to the story? It ended, and the Raven was destroyed for good. Mytho got his heart back, and I broke the machine that helped Drosselmeyer continue writing even after his death-"

Duck's "Quack quack?" startled the young writer out of his thoughts. Papers flew from the desk.

"Oh! Duck...it's just you...don't sneak up on me like that."

Duck's facial expression seem to say ' _I've been here for ages waiting for you to get off your butt and feed me but you've been sitting there for ages what the hey?_ '. Fakir rubbed his head. All this thinking was giving him a headache, "Sorry...I was just thinking. About some things."

Duck flapped her wings to land-albeit clumsily-onto the desk, "Quack?" the tone suggested for Fakir to explain. He hesitated, but reluctantly gave in after glimpsing at her wide blue eyes... _Can ducks even have blue eyes?_

"I had a dream last night...about Princess Tutu."

Duck lowered her head. Fakir felt as though even if Duck was a human, she probably wouldn't want to talk about the tragedy of Princess Tutu; the Princess cursed to never tell her Prince of her love, lest she were to disappear in a flash of light.

"I know...I know that talking about Tutu is hard...But I think you should know something-last night. In a dream, Tutu told me that you were used as a vessel."

This information did not surprise the canary yellow feathered bird that much. She was only a duck, used by Drosselmeyer. She wasn't his only pawn in the game.

"But she told me something else, Duck. She..." There was a lump in his throat. He coughed up the words, "S-she told me the story isn't over."

Duck whipped her head up. She looked at Fakir in understandable shock and horror, " _Q-q-quack quack?!_ " Fakir had an idea of what she was trying to tell him: "But we ended the story ourselves, right?! How is it not finished?!"

"I thought the same thing. But Tutu came to me. She said it wasn't over, and that I have to 'reprise my role as the Knight and come to my Princess.' I don't know what she means...or whether or not it was nothing more than a dream." Fakir shook his head, "I'm sorry. You didn't need to hear this nonsense. I'll go make you some breakfast." He chuckled, "Heh, would you like some breadcrumbs?"

His answer was a duck pouting. If ducks could pout.

Fakir made his way to the kitchen area, a small space for two, and found a slightly dated loaf of bread and butter. He wasn't that hungry anyway. He kept thinking of what could Princess Tutu's message even mean? _Perhaps it was only that...a dream..._

 _But even so...Duck had a more scared reaction than I did. Why?_ But he already knew the answer. Her heart belong to Mytho, and loved him enough to give his heart back. At the cost of her humanity. He often thought that it was because Rue wasn't cursed; she was able to tell her Prince how she'd loved him. Duck couldn't. Drosselmeyer had made them suffer too much already. Duck especially.

He turned on the water tap, and mused as he looked through the window. The cottage they lived in was right beside the lake outside of the town. It gave both Duck and Fakir peace of mind- while he wrote stories then sell them to the library for income, Duck would float on the pond's surface in his quiet company. At least, most of the time. Fakir would often catch Duck dancing ballet, even in bird form, and he was reminded of the Battle of the Prince and the Raven.

Duck flew onto the table, pecking at the empty plate in an attempt to hurry Fakir up. He smiled, "Alright, alright, I'll get you something from the pantry..." _I wonder...would I have had the strength to defy my Fate as the Knight...if Duck wasn't there?_

 _Oh ho ho~ I_ seriously _doubt that, my boy!_ A voice purred mockingly.

Fakir whirled around, and froze, "No..." Everything was still, frozen in time. Duck was the only one that moved around, looking at the ceiling in fear. _So she heard that too!_ Fakir knew only one who had that ability-

"Drosselmeyer!"


	3. Chapter 3: Unwanted Guests

"Where are you? Show yourself!"

There was a menacing chuckle, and a pair of amber, wide-as-plates eyes snuck up behind Duck as she looked around in fear on the table...

"Boo."

Duck jumped a meter high of the table in fright! " ** _QUACK?!_** " She flew into Fakir's opening arms. With a free hand, Fakir grabbed a knife from the kitchen draws, holding it like a sword.

Drosselmeyer was unaffected, mocking a hurt voice, "Oh, how could you point a knife at me? You own ancestor!" He chuckled darkly, "Like you could do anything to harm me even if you decided to _try_ to. I see your so called "honorable knight-hood" temper hasn't changed much."

"What are you doing here, Drosselmeyer? What do you want with us?!"

"Now, now, Knight, can I not visit my own kin?"

"You haven't seen us since the Raven was destroyed and Mytho's heart was restored, _seven years_ ago! You're story's ended." Fakir still held the knife, "So I will ask once more-why are you here?!"

"Ah, Fakir, Duck, if only you knew what it was like; I left Kinkan Town, yes, for other stories. But you destroyed my device-the one that helped me to write beyond my death. If that is destroyed, shouldn't I, Drosselmeyer, have also disappeared?"

Fakir lowered the blade, "...What?"

"Not to mention, if life has returned to normal, then why," Drosselmeyer pointed a long gloved finger at the yellow bird in Fakir's arms, "Is _she_ here still?"

"Quack?"

"What are you talking about?"

Drosselmeyer hmphed, "After all the reading you've ever done, you never read about types of animals? Even for studying? If I'm not correct, that bird does not exist."

" _ **QUACK?!**_ " _I don't exist?! What is he talking about?!_ Duck thought. But if Duck had thought about it, why hadn't she changed? _Even after seven years? And ducks don't usually last this long. I can think, and Fakir can sorta understand me. Humans can't usually do that._

"...Is that why you're here? To kill her then? Well," Fakir raised the knife once more, "You'll have to get through me first!"

Drosselmeyer held up his hands in a calming manner, "That's not why I'm here. In fact, I am unaware as to why I'm still here, let alone Duck. I'm merely curious, and I thought it was because you're my descendant...I request your help."

"Like hell you will!"

Duck quietly voiced her opinion, "Quack, quack, q-quack quack." The tone seemed to say, "Hear him out, Fakir. I want to know why too."

"See? She understands the need to calm down and not stab each other. Don't need to pull a Prince, do we?"

Ignoring the obvious and terrible pun, Fakir had a face of curious shock, "You...You can understand her?"

"It's as if she's speaking English. You don't?"

"O-oh, I do...It's just, it's more her expressions that I can understand. I don't hear words."

"...I see." Drosselmeyer gestured to the table chair, "May I? Or does the Knight insist on keeping his elderly grandfather standing up instead of letting him rest his weary bones?"

Fakir nodded, and Drosselmeyer sat himself down. Fakir remained standing, holding Duck. Drosselmeyer rubbed his gloved hands together, as if preparing himself for a brainstorm, "Now, let's get to it, shall we?"


	4. Chapter 4: 24 Hours

"...You can't _honestly_ be serious? Do you really expect me to be so _naive_? I'm not the little boy who wrote stories without realizing the gratifications or the consequences of my actions. I've learned my lesson; I've learned what the power you supposedly gave as a _gift_ to me can do. How it can _hurt_ so many people. Why on earth do expect me-expect us- to help you after all that you have to done to us! Just so you can finish your precious story!"

Drosselmeyer had explained that he was curious as to why things had not changed, even though the machine was destroyed, like how he could still come between their world and his. He asked that they come with him, and give the world its' true form.

"...Well, I can certainly tell you read a lot if you can say all that in one breath. Not like a lot of young people at your age."

"Were you even listening to what I just said?!"

Drosselmeyer sighed, "I was. And I understand." He chuckled a little bitterly, "I have always been a completion enthusiast. That's why...that's why I did something that I both regret and am glad I did."

"Oh, and what's that?" Fakir asked sarcastically. Duck could tell he was at his limit.

"When I was quite a young lad, hundreds of years ago, I loved to write. No, I adored it! But before I did that, I had previously aimed my endeavors on studying myths and legends-some of different cultures- stories of _King Arthur and his Knights_ , _Fionn mac Cumhaill_ , gods of Olympus and the like. And the ones that had been there since before anyone could remember- one of which, I had accidentally stumbled upon."

"And what was this ' _legend_ ' then?" Fakir asked coldly.

Duck was definitely curious, and she could tell that Fakir was too. But a sudden thought popped into her little head, "Quack? Qu-quack quack?"

"Do not worry, little Duck, Uzura is fine. However, I left her behind so that she could open the gate for me-and if you can get your roommate to agree-and you two."

"Ohh no! We're going nowhere with you! You're nothing but trouble."

"I know what you are but what am I?"

"How can you be so childish?!"

"Because I write-or wrote-stories intended for children." Drosselmeyer stood up, and a grandfather clock suddenly appeared on the wall, "I see that this will take some time to think about. I must go, but I will return in twenty-four hours time. You will make your decision then." And like a ghost, he backed into the grandfather clock, closing the glass door as he disappeared into a mix of grinds and clockwork machinery.

It disappeared, and the water from the tap started to flow again.

"He avoided the question. Drosselmeyer's hiding something, and I don't like that...But..." Fakir looked at Duck, and she him, "I want to know...if what he said is true. I want to know...why my family was given this gift. This curse."


	5. Chapter 5: Research

The next few hours were spent in silence. Fakir was restless: One minute he was sitting at his desk, the next he would be trying to rearrange his bedroom, or clean the kitchen-even though it was relatively neat. Duck often found her friend marching back and forth between the house and the lake, whilst she bobbed along on the water.

Fakir threw his hands in the air in frustration, cursing in German, "That's _it_! Duck!" the yellow bird turned his way, "We're going to see Autor! See if he can help with this-this situation!"

Duck flew into the cottage as Fakir fixed a coat around himself. His face showed determination, the kind she had only seen when he had accepted himself as the Writer to save the Prince and destroy the Raven. Fakir turned around, opening his coat to reveal an inside pocket-Duck would often sit in it during the colder times. This time of the year would be no different, so Fakir didn't mind.

They were nearly at their desired destination-the Library of Kinkon-or Golden Crown-town. Duck snuggled into the warm fabric even more as a gust of wind blustered by the couple, "There! T-there it is!" Fakir said to no one in particular. The old door was thrown open-nearly banging off the wall and shutting itself back into the frame with such force, much to the dismay of Autor, the librarian in charge since he graduated from the Academy.

A bespectacled young man looked up from his desk at the end of the hallway, his face showed disdain when he looked at the flurry of colored leaves that scattered around the floor, "I _do_ so hate it when it's nice, tidy and quiet. Please, _barge_ in through the door, oh, and drag in the dirt into the floor too while you're at it, if it's convenient for you." his greeting was overwhelmingly sarcastic.

"Good to see you too, Autor." Duck saw a young child, a girl of five in fact, sitting in one of the smaller chairs in the children's section. Oddly enough though, from what Duck could see, she was reading one of the more mature and darker stories... _Wait! The Prince and the Raven?!_ It was one of many books stacked on one another sitting atop a red pull cart.

"Hmph, so why have you come to see me? Or are you here for research?" Autor asked sarcastically once more. Duck often had the feeling like Autor felt betrayed at the fact that though he had known and studied his ancestor's line and of Drosselmeyer's ability, it was Fakir who was given his so called 'gift' instead. Like Autor had been cheated. Duck plopped herself onto the desk, much to Autor's added dismay.

"Research, actually. And..." Fakir took a deep breath, He's so full of pride, Duck thought, "We-Duck and I-need your help too."

"Ohhh? So the Knight finally wants to sit down and use his brain instead of stabbing everything in sight, is he?"

"It's about...It's about..." Fakir sighed, "Drosselmeyer. He came to see us a few hours ago-" Fakir felt hands grab the front of his coat.

"You s-saw HIM?!" Fakir nodded, "AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL ME IMMEDIATELY?!" The the young girl winced at Autor's shouting, as if it was _she_ who was in trouble, and grabbed the cart of books to run out the door as fast as her small legs could carry them, the wheels squeaking behind her.

"S-s-sorry mister! I-I'll bring this back t-tomorrow!" She cried out!

"OI! RETURN THAT BOOK AT ONCE! I NEED TO REGISTER IT ON THE BORROWED LIST-"

Duck quacked loudly, snapping the Drosselmeyer obsessed librarian out of it. Autor gave Fakir a begrudging look, "Fine. So you saw him, what do you want me to do about it?"

"Drosselmeyer said to me and Duck that he needs our-my help, and we have a choice to do so. But before that, he mentioned something about what he did in the past-how he both regrets it, and doesn't at the same time...I think he did something to give him the ability to make stories come alive. That's why we're here. Since you know more about him than we do, we thought that it would be best to come to you."

After hearing the rest of Fakir and Duck's situation, Autor immediately pulled them through all the aisles of the " _Myths, Legends and Fantasies_ ". They spent hours reading over the likes of " _Prometheus_ ", " _Same Gods, Different Versions_ ", " _How to be a Classic Writer_ ", pouring over dusty and yellowed with time pages until their eyes started to hurt. Even Duck was helping out-well, as much as a speechless bird can help-waddling down the aisles for more books-

"QUACK?!" A hard object fell on the poor bird's head, but after blinking the dizziness away, saw the perpetrator-

A thick, hardback book. " _Spells, Curses, Summons and the other-worldly: masters edition_ " was it's title.

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Most of the book titles I just made up, just in case you try to look them up lol (Prometheus is a Greek mythological Figure btw)


	6. Chapter 6: Demons and Spirits

Sorry I haven't updated this! I've got other works that I want to finish but I had this in my head in a while so here you go! And thank you kindly for the sweet reviews! And for the rest of this story, I'm just going to call Kinkan town GoldCrown town (it's easier to remember XD)

* * *

A thick, hardback book sat on the table on Fakir's kitchen, as the sky darkened. " _Spells, Curses, Summons and the Other-worldly: masters Edition_ " was it's title. On the chair, Fakir had his head in his hands. Autor sat opposite him, posture slumped. Duck was quietly preening her feathers.

"It...It just doesn't make _sense_."

"Fakir, you of all people, should know that in GoldCrown, very little has ever made sense."

The addressed ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah, but..."

"Quack! Q-quack quack." Fakir took his hand out of his hair, glancing at the canary yellow bird. Her big blue eyes gazed at him earnestly. It was if Duck was pleading with Fakir to believe what the book said.

"I can understand what you're trying to say, Autor." Fakir sighed, "GoldCrown was a place of fairytales-but it's not anymore! Mytho-I mean Prince Siegfried, destroyed the Raven, and that was after Duck gave up the last Shard! Drosselmeyer loved stories, and he may have wanted to continue them after death, but you can't honestly ask me to believe-"

"That Drosselmeyer made a deal with a demon to grant him his wish?" Autor smirked, "I don't know, it makes somewhat sense. How else could he have been still controlling us all after his death? How else would you have been given the gift of writing?"

"He made that damnable machine that I destroyed, remember?"

"But he's come back! How can you explain that, Fakir?"

Duck waddled ungracefully, dipping her beak onto the last page the trio read. The chapter was dubbed " _Summoning_ " It wrote:

 _Demons and Spirits are very similar to each other; Both are other-worldly, can change forms, have unnatural and inhuman abilities, etc (_ see Chapter 11 for "Differences between Demons and Spirits" page 156 for more details _) but most notably Demons and Spirits can be contracted. Demons often have a price that would usually be greater than what is offered, however, this is often mistaken as the dealings with a poltergeist, as they use trickery and lies to cause mischief and/or anarchy._

 _Spirits, however, are less clean-cut to explain. This is because there are a wide variety of Spirits that can be malevolent and poltergeists fall under this category. But there are those whom are quite benevolent, and would only ask for something of equal importance to be offered to them._

 _This contract becomes a Master/Servant bond._

 _In many cases, studies have show that those who have summoned and accepted a bargain carry a mark. The closer to the public eye, the more powerful and/or devoted the Servant is to its master-at least until the bargain is fulfilled. If the Master has already accepted the terms and conditions originally agreed by the Master and Servant, this can have varied consequences;_

 _For a Spirit, they will continue to "haunt" the one who summoned them until the bargained price is paid. This, or, depending on what was asked, there is a compromise. Unfortunately, this has never been fully specified and/or proved to be true. However, there are suspicions that the Masters can become ghosts, having never fulfilled their promise, and unless certain specific deeds or requirements are met, they are doomed to haunt and wander between our world and the Next, perhaps without even knowing it._

 _However, if the Master betrays his contract, or decides to retreat the original intentions, the Demon eats their soul, having rejected the covenant between Master and Servant. Demons usually ask for a soul after the needs of the Master have been met at the Summoning. But once a soul is eaten by a Demon, it can never enter the Gates of Saint Peter. It and all memory of existence would cease to exist._

Silence drowned the room.

"Do you really think...that Drosselmeyer summoned a Demon, bargained with them, and has been able to talk to us and control us after his death?" Fakir asked, scanning the clock as if the old writer were to pop up and answer his question.

"Most likely it was a Spirit, considering he himself doesn't know about his dilemma himself. I'm curious though-I've practically read and arranged every book in the library. Yet this is the first time I've ever seen this text. I don't recognise the name either. _Freya Faebleu_. I mean, what kind of a name is that?! "

"Duck, how did you come across this book again?"

The bird in front of Fakir tapped the book, then her head, for the fifteenth time they asked her.

"It fell on top of your head. Right. Still hard to believe though." Fakir looked outside. It was pitch black, the only thing he could see was his reflection, grimly staring back. In the corner of his green eyes, his saw Duck's head bobbing and drooping in fatigue. "I think it's about time you go to bed, Duck."

Fakir, after tucking Duck into her nest came back down. "It's too late and too dark for you to go back to the library, Autor. Not to mention you know a lot more than I do when it comes to books." Fakir gestured upstairs. "I'll let you sleep in my room tonight, and I'll sleep on the sofa. Tomorrow morning's the deadline, you should be here to discuss this more."

"Do you just assume that because I work at the library and have a fondness for books, that I would live in it?"

"Honestly..." Fakir smiled wryly, "Yeah."

Autor raised his finger in defiance, "Well..." Autor lowered his had in defeat, "You'd be kinda right."

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OHHHHHHHHH THE PLOT THICKENS!


	7. Chapter 7: Summons and Incantations

Sorry for the late update! I'll try to be more consistent, but I wrote and re-wrote this scene so many times, until I was somewhat happy with it! I hope you enjoy it, and thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed this story, I really appreciate it!

Now, LET'S DO THIS!

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The three sat around the table. Each stared into the wall Fakir said Drosselmeyer came through. They had been up since the early hours, but Drosselymeyer had still yet to pop through a grandfather clock.

"It's been 24 hours, where is he?"

"Fakir, are you sure Drosselmeyer said 24 hours? Or if he even turned up at all?"

"I thought that you said that anything was possible in Kinkan?." Fakir snapped back. Autor sighed.

"I did, but that was yesterday, when we were working with adrenaline." The bespectacled young man said calmly.

"And because the adrenaline is gone, you wanna quit? Where's the Autor who was obsessed with Drosselmeyer and would do anything to meet him? This is your chance, Autor!"

"That was a long time ago, when we were all fourteen years old!" Autor argued back, "That was before I realized how _sadistic_ he was! How he would rather have us in an endless cycle of death and rebirth in a stagnant story with no end in sight! Don't you remember? Or is your need to be a hero so desperate that you'll do anything to drag out memories and secrets that are better left forgotten!"

Fakir looked away, and though he would not admit it to his distant cousin, his pride was hurt. If there was a chance to change Fate again, but instead give a happier ending to those who deserved it, a chance to rewrite the destinies who were dealt with unfair cards in Drosselmeyer's cruel game, then he...

"Perhaps we need to summon."

"Are you even listening to me?! This book is probably just something a madman would write to tickle the fancy of fools!"

" _ **I MUST BE A FOOL THEN!**_ "

Fakir grabbed the book from the table, and threw it onto the ground. As if it knew what passage Fakir wanted to read, the leather-bound tome opened at the very page that curled the corners of his lips into a smirk.

 _How to form a contract_

 _First, one must clear their mind of everything, except of want they desire. For example, think of a certain someone. Think of what they look like, what they sound like etc. Let that one desire consume your thoughts as if it is all you have ever known. Second, one must raise their dominant hand over their heart, and the other over this passage:_

 ** _Those unseen, unfeeling and unheard,_**

 ** _I summon thee to my command,_**

 ** _The line between two worlds now blurred,_**

 ** _I plead with thee to hear my demand_**

 ** _Forsake me not now,_**

 ** _Elements of the Earth and Beyond,_**

 ** _As I, [Name] ask for Spirits to allow_**

 ** _A Summon to contract a bond._**

 _Now as you may feel a sensation as the energy summons a Spirit or an Otherworldly being, you must clearly declare what you want from that contract, and hopefully the two worlds become one as your Summoned will call out your name._

Duck's quacks and Autors shouts fell on deaf ears as he picked up the book. Fakir cleared his mind, as instructed. But different thoughts kept interrupting the process-

 _Do I think of Drosselmeyer? Princess Tutu? Duck?_

 _Well, I want to find out where Drosselmeyer is. But I want to know...what do I want?_

But the adrenaline kicked in, as Fakir cited the words, and Autor and Duck fell silent in horror.

" _Those unseen, unfeeling and unheard,_

 _I summon thee to my command,_

 _The line between two worlds now blurred,_

 _I plead with thee to hear my demand._ "

There was no stopping Fakir. There was a tingling sensation throughout his body. Time seemed to stop around the three. Autor held onto Duck as the book seemed to glow.

" _Forsake me not now,_

 _Elements of the Earth and Beyond,_

 _As I, Fakir ask for Spirits to allow_

 _A Summon to contract a bond._ "

This was it, the moment Fakir waited for. _I want...I want..._ A grandfather clock blinked and flickered in and out of existence. The door to the giant clock opened slowly, and instead of cogs and ticks, there was nothing but blackness.

"I want...I want-!"

Suddenly long, pale hands grabbed Fakir. They pulled him into the ground, and despite his struggles, the hands multiplied and dragged Fakir into the grandfather clock.

"HEL-" The hands covered Fakir's mouth, muffling his screams as his eyes widened in desperation and terror!

"FAKIR!" Autor tried to grab Fakir to pull him up, but the hands grabbed onto him and Duck, dragging the three into the clock. There was no hope of escape. No one would know what happened.

The three fell in pitch black darkness. They could see nothing and feel nothing.

What have I done?! Fakir thought. He tried screaming, but no sound come out.

But he heard a voice-

" ** _FAKIR! HOLD ON, I'M COMING TO HELP!_** "

The door slammed shut, and disappeared from this mortal plane.

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I hope you enjoyed this! And I hope that the characters are not too OOC, but we'll finally get into the heart of this story (but dat irony doe) AT LONG LAST!


	8. Chapter 8: Do we have a Deal?

_Sorry I haven't updated this in a while, but I'm very busy so uploading will be irregular for an indefinite time._

 _But for now, enjoy!_

* * *

The voice sounded out in his head as if bells were being tolled. Groaning, he pushed himself to a sitting position with his elbows carrying the weight of his body. He looked around him for some kind of idea of where they were. The last thing he remember was-

Hands.

Gnarled, long, spindly fingers that had a vice grip on him. Him trying to scream for help, but multiple hands smothering his vocal chords.

The book-that blasted book, came along as he was dragged downwards.

Autor, Duck...they were pulled down with him.

 _What have I done?!_ Fakir was gripped with panic. He looked around him-Autor stood away from him, hands on his hips. Autor turned around when he heard Fakir groaning.

"Ah...you're awake. Good. At least you're not dead."

"Didn't you check my pulse?"

"I did. I couldn't feel anything. I checked myself-there's no pulse either. But you looked like you were sleeping, so I thought I might take a look around, see if I could get an idea of where we are."

"And?"

"What do you think?"

Autor helped Fakir up, "I should have stopped you..." Fakir grabbed his shoulders.

"Wait. Duck. WHERE'S DUCK?!"

Autor looked at his only company. He frowned. Clearly the bird meant something to Fakir, but Autor for the life of him couldn't remember why. All he remember that the yellow duck was with Fakir every since the Raven was defeated.

"I haven't seen it. Not since we've gotten here." Autor hesitated, "I...had assumed that the duck went missing when we fell."

Fakir's eyes widened. "...How...why...but..." The words hit Fakir like a ton of bricks. This was all for nothing...And now Duck is-

The sound of a lever being pulled echoed throughout the darkness.

Lights suddenly filled the room.

One by one, as if they were stage lights, for a play was about to begin.

Fakir and Autor stood back to back as they saw themselves in a world filled with clocks and cogs-work, ticking and chiming. It was the very same world that Duck had spoken of, when she was kidnapped by Drosselmeyer.

"Whom hath read the sacred text, and crossed the bridge into the world of Beyond?" A voice spoke. Fakir and Autor whirled around.

A tall woman, much taller than a human being, towered over the two young men.

"Hey! Have you see a yellow duck-"

"Thy name that summoned thee, speak it."

With a closer look, Fakir and Autor saw that the being had a face paler than the moon, with black eyes that glittered with what seemed like stars, and midnight blue hair that would have reached the floor, were it not floating around her form as if she was constantly underwater. Light fabric, more delicate than gossamer, hid her arms and trailed behind her as she slowly walked towards them.

"It...it was h-" Autor spoke.

"It was me. I asked for a Spirit to make a deal with. My name is Fakir." Fakir's voice was determined and strong.

The woman smiled, "I was sure that the passionate aura I felt was from you." She curtsied, "I have many names to answer to, but I can only give you a name, should you make a contract with me." her voice was melodious and soothing. Almost as if to distract Fakir and Autor from their goal.

"What if you're a Demon? How can we be sure that you're not trying to devour our souls? And you didn't answer my question about Duck."

The ethereal being smiled understandably, "Ah, so you studied the tome in your hand. An attribute one should applaud." But she frowned, and Autor felt a chill spike up his spine. " _However_ , you ultimately do not know if I am either Demon or Spirit, or God. To find what you seek, and leave here unharmed, your safest option is to make a deal with me."

"Wait." Fakir fluttered through the pages, "I don't think that this book says anything about gods-"

A pale, long fingered hand shut the book so hard that it fell to the ground and would've broken apart, if the creature did not-through what could only be described as magic-summon the book to her open palms.

"That text...I sense a power within it."

"Well, it did bring us here-"

"Incorrect, Fakir. Far from it, in fact. There is a danger within its' pages-I will not risk it. But now is not the time for this." She reached into her right sleeve, and brought out a yellow ball of fluff.

"I presume that this is the bird you seek." A long, delicate finger lightly stroked Duck's feathers as she seemed to be sleeping. "Such an innocent creature, and having gone through so much heartbreak it would destroy a normal human being." She smiled, as though a mother would cradle a newborn. "So pure..."

Autor swallowed loudly, "M-may we have her back? Please, Miss?"

But the mysterious woman brought Duck closer to her bosom, like a child that didn't want to share it's favorite toy. "And why should I do that? After all your world has done to Duck, does she not deserve respite? Does she not deserve the chance to achieve her desire?"

"Wait-how would you know anything about her? Or our world?!" Fakir snapped.

"...Why did you summon me? Answer quickly-" she looked around her, seeing something Fakir and Autor couldn't, "Hurry, something is waiting for you to lose your way-a Demon, most likely."

"Drosselmeyer asked us to help him!" Autor began, "He said something about having made a dea-" the woman stretched her neck to stare closely at the bespectacled young man, close enough that their noses almost touched.

" _Drosselmeyer_. You are of his descent-both of you-are you not?" Her tone was blank and emotionless.

Autor nodded. The woman leaned away from him, and looked down at them as she circled around them.

"Both descendants...One holds the Gift...Yet the other does not..." Her eyes narrowed like a vulture around dying prey. "After what Drosselmeyer did to you all-you agreed to help him?"

"He said that he found it odd that he could still stop time and enter our world."

"That is enough reason to aid him? Foolish. And he found it odd? I do not." The woman said coolly. "That must be why the air is restless-they smell what they desire."

"Will you show us the way or not?" Fakir barked.

"The way to where, exactly? When you opened that book and summoned me, I could see many a vision of what you wanted. Make a deal with me-then tell me clearly what you want, then perhaps I may be of aid."

"...Fine."

"Fakir!"

The strange being stopped circling around them, grinning excitedly, " _Excellent_..." She slowly held out a hand, the other carrying Duck, "What are your terms, Fakir of Kinkan Town?"

Fakir took a deep breath. "I wish to find a way to finally settle things with Drosselmeyer. I wish to find a way to make Duck be a girl again. I wish to free Kinkan from Drosselmeyer's curse." Fakir smirked confidently, "That is what I want from this deal. What must I do afterwards?"

"Oh, it's quite simple. Shake my hand."

Fakir looked at Duck, and with determination in his eyes, gripped her hand tightly before Autor could stop him.

She closed her eyes, and a light shone so bright Fakir and Autor could do nothing but close their eyes to stop them becoming blind.

 _Very well, Fakir. The name you may call upon for assistance, is_ Aria _. Goddess of the Arts._


End file.
